Once a day, Dimitris plays music from her veranda into the streets of Skala Skimineas. On the small street in front of her house, she dances to the music in a red dress and leather boots while her cat is watching. In the film “Mr Dimitris and Mrs Dimitroula” by Tzeli Hadjidimitriou we get to know Dimitris, an elderly trans woman living in a small fishing village on Lesbos. 

Learning from her way of life the project at Sihlquai41 examines if the interior of the private home can be reduced to a corner, where one puts their very personal items and conserves a Life‘s History, while the actual Living is oriented towards the Exterior. 

The last floor of the existing parking building functions as a public sun deck. Above hovers the new structure, which partially shades the deck, acting like a large parasol and provides a home for around 100 people. The interior of the studio apartments is limited to 21m2, and due to the offset layout, six concave corners and two spaces emerge without being entirely separated by doors. The bathroom is generously dimensioned and extends the living space. To the corridor the living area of the apartments extends into a niche in front of the kitchen window on the outside of the units.

The apartments are designed for the needs of elderly people and Social stability is achieved through the arrangement of the units that foster a sense of community and create moments of interaction and mutual observation. Living above the beach gives elderly single residents the chance to take part in the urban life in an easy, low-threshold way.